PSC Uncut : Are Butts the new Breasts?

Recently Drs. Dan Del Vecchio and Richard Zienowicz joined Dr. Bill Adams to debate: “Is ‘butt’ the new ‘breast’?” In fact, there wasn’t much debate–both Dr. Del Vecchio of Massachusetts and Dr. Zienowicz in Rhode Island have seen a marked increase in requests for buttock enhancement in their respective practices. Their experience correlates with statistics cited by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reporting an 86% spike in the procedure being performed between 2013 and 2014. And it’s more than just a trend. In the past 10 years, buttock lifts and augmentations have become increasingly popular worldwide. According to Dr. Del Vecchio his Boston based practice is a clear indication that the quest for the hourglass is back. “In the 70’s and 80’s breast augmentation was the highest growth rate operation for plastics surgeons…but today, it’s butt augmentation.” When compared with our fixation on breasts, Dr. Del Vecchio believes the butt is an erogenous area we have underappreciated. Not for long. Given today’s current obsession, a rounder, curvier derriere could eventually surpass breasts as the number one sexual image of the female body.

Primates behaving like primates

We can blame Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian or Beyoncé for their celebrity assets. Or Meghan Trainor’s hit, ‘All About that Bass’ (no treble). But an ample sized and shaped buttock has long been admired and desired because it was (and is) considered an indication of a woman’s youth, sensuality, and fertility. Many anthropologists and sociobiologists believe the buttocks is the primary sexual presentation site in primates. Dr. Zienowicz observes, “It’s finally a case of primates behaving like primates…it’s an archetypal feature…so balancing breasts and butt makes a lot of sense.”

About ethnicity

Dr. Zienowicz poses the question about whether Hispanic women in particular are driving the demand. Dr. Del Vecchio isn’t necessarily convinced. Asians, Caucasians, Hispanics and African Americans are all conscious about their bums, but each ethnicity influences how their aesthetic is defined. Asians like small but shapely, Caucasians opt for full but not large, Hispanics prefer very full along with pronounced lateral fullness, while Black women seek very full buttocks, hips and thighs.

If you are considering a buttock augmentation

For prospective patients who are not happy with either the shape, size or profile of their butt, buttock augmentation can reshape, lift and enhance that feature. Two of the most popular methods are the Brazilian Butt Lift which uses fat grafting from a patient’s own tissue, or buttock implants which are made of silicone. In each case volume and contour are improved. A consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon will determined if you are a candidate for one or either of these procedures. There are very specific recovery guidelines to help you achieve the best results. These include strict compliance in avoiding any direct pressure on the buttocks for at least 8 weeks, so sitting without a pillow is not allowed for that period. In addition, wearing special garments to retain the new shape is mandatory for six to eight weeks.